Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) - Iraq's Chaldean Catholic community has announced the imminent opening of a web site in memory of Fr. Raghhed Ganni and three deacons killed by insurgents in Mosul. The web site will also defend the presence of Iraqi Christians in their homeland. The news was published in Baghdadhope bulletin by Fr. Rayan Atto, parish priest of Mar Qardagh Chaldean Catholic church in Erbil, who said the initiative has the approval of Chaldean Catholic Bishop Faraj P. Rahho. “The web site will be a collection of testimony of people who knew Fr. Raghhed Ganni, those who accompanied his spiritual journey or just ordinary people who loved and respected him and wish to share with others their memories of him; testimony to shed light on the priest's character, his spirituality, his communion with God, the memories of those who knew him as a man, a seminarian and a priest ”.
Fr. Atto, said the aim is “to make Fr. Ganni's story known to everyone through the web site and then with a book to be published by Mar Qardagh parish church at Erbil, where I am parish priest”.
Friends and acquaintances of Fr. Ganni have been encouraged to send in to the parish testimony either in Arabic, English or Italian.. “The web site and the book will keep alive the memory of Fr Ganni, a martyr, so that people will be edified and follow the example of this good Christian”.
The purpose is also to make known to Christians and people in general of the critical situation of Iraqi Christians in their homeland. Recently the Chaldean Catholic Bishops and leaders of other Iraqi Christian communities made a public protest against vexation of Christians in Iraq, calling on the civil authorities in Iraq and the international authorities to provide more protection.
Caritas Internationalis is concerned for the difficult situation of Iraqi refugees and the exodus of Iraqi Christians continues: in Jordan there are about 800,000 Iraqi refugees, 10% are Christians.
Iraqi Christians are now only a small minority which suffers daily threats and danger. In places where there were once flourishing Christian districts, only a few families remain: observers say the Iraqi Christian community is sorely tried, forced to move, abandoned by all.
For centuries Christians lived side by side with Muslims in Iraq where Christianity is part of Iraqi civilisation and culture and where the people are of many different ethnic origins Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen for example. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/10/2007 righe parole)
